{"id":20468,"date":"2026-09-08T16:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20468"},"modified":"2026-09-08T16:10:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T20:10:55","slug":"time-to-choose-your-benefits-for-2027-your-open-enrollment-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20468","title":{"rendered":"Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2027: Your Open Enrollment Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is about to begin for benefits-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be sure to make your benefit selections for the 2027 plan year\u202f<strong>between October 1 and 31, 2026<\/strong>.\u202f&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>STEP 1:<\/strong><strong>\u202f<\/strong><strong>Determine your benefit needs.<\/strong>\u202f&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Open Enrollment, you may enroll in, change, or cancel coverage in the following benefits:\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Health\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dental\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flexible spending accounts (health or dependent care)\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health savings account\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Life or accidental death and dismemberment insurance\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Voluntary accident, critical illness, legal, or vision insurance.\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carefully review your\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Enrollment guide<\/a>\u202fand choose the best benefit plans for your family. You may not change the above benefits outside of the Open Enrollment period unless you have a\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/enroll-change.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">qualifying life event<\/a>,\u202f<strong>so please review your options and take action in October<\/strong>.\u202f&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>STEP 2: Review important updates and reminders for the 2027 plan year.<\/strong>\u202f&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We encourage you to review all important updates and reminders.\u202f Learn more about the highlighted updates below on\u202f<strong>page 6<\/strong>\u202fof your \u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Enrollment guide<\/a>.\u202f\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Important Highlights:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As a reminder, you no longer need to complete the spouse\/other eligible individual (OEI) to continue coverage for your spouse\/OEI. If you currently cover a spouse\/OEI on your health plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2027 without any action.\u00a0\u00a0\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>However, the spouse\/OEI premium threshold requirement still applies. <\/strong>To enroll your spouse\/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage,\u202f<strong>your spouse\/OEI must enroll in coverage through their own current or former employer (e.g., a retiree health plan), if the annual premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less.<\/strong>\u202fYou may still cover your spouse\/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan.\u202fPlease review the\u202f\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Enrollment FAQs<\/a>\u202f for more information about.\u202f<em>If you and your spouse\/OEI both work at MSU, the premium threshold does not apply.<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Please note the minor change to access the Open Enrollment application within the EBS portal. <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Review Open Enrollment Instructions for more information<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>STEP 3: Participate in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab.<\/strong>\u202f&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Fair<\/a>: Join us on\u202f<strong>Thursday,<\/strong>\u202f<strong>October 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.<\/strong>\u202fat the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on campus. MSU benefit providers and HR staff will be available to answer questions and help you enroll in your benefits on-site.\u202fFlu shot appointments are available by\u202f<strong>appointment only<\/strong>.\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find a link to make a flu shot appointment<\/a>.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/site-labs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HR Site Labs<\/a>: MSU HR will offer in-person and virtual site labs throughout October. Consider attending if you have questions about your benefit options or need assistance with enrollment.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<br>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>STEP 4: Make your changes online before October 31.<\/strong>\u202f&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You must participate in Open Enrollment between<\/strong><strong>\u202f<\/strong><strong>October 1 and 31<\/strong>\u202f(<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">view enrollment instructions<\/a>) to change your benefit selections.\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We hope this checklist is helpful as you prepare for and participate in Open Enrollment this year. You can find\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">all the details about Open Enrollment on the\u202fHR website,<\/a>\u202fincluding links to the appropriate Open Enrollment guide, enrollment instructions, and detailed benefits information from our providers.\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Questions?<\/strong>\u202fWe\u2019re happy to help! We encourage you to attend the \u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Fair<\/a>\u202for an\u202f\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/site-labs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HR Site Lab<\/a>\u202fto ask questions. You may also contact MSU Human Resources at\u202f<a href=\"mailto:SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu<\/a>\u202for 517-353-4434 (toll free: 800-353-4434).\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is about to begin for benefits-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20468\">Continue Reading&#8230;<span> Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2027: Your Open Enrollment Checklist<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":20469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[16,174],"class_list":["post-20468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-benefits-news","tag-benefits","tag-open-enrollment"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb1fcA-5k8","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/oe-checklist-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1344&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20468"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20472,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20468\/revisions\/20472"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}